Many days before the British Car Meeting in Mollis, Olivier Borgeaud and his fellow organizers were already looking anxiously at the weather forecasts. It was not going to be easy for the 42nd running of the popular meeting of British cars, which attracts 1500 or more vehicles each year, on August 27, 2023. But things turned out even worse than expected.
It was already raining almost non-stop when setting up the infrastructure the day before, and gusts of wind made erecting the tents a challenge. But the men and women of the Swiss TR Club, which has been responsible for organizing the BCM for decades, did not give up. And they actively communicated on all channels that the meeting was taking place, despite all the obstacles. The forecast for Sunday was for continuous rain and the rain radar indicated impressive amounts of rain.
Rain without end
And the weather did not improve. Anyone driving towards Zigerschlitz, as the Glarus side valley is popularly known, and Mollis on Sunday morning soon had to close their roof and windows if they didn't want to get wet.
And the rain hardly stopped from then on.
Shorter visits
Nevertheless, around 200 to 300 cars made the journey to Mollis, with fans even flocking from Germany to the popular British car meeting at the airfield in the foothills of the Alps.
The fact that one or two people left earlier than planned was really only due to the weather, because even with a large umbrella and rainproof shoes, at some point you were so soaked that the fun fell by the wayside.
Putting on a good face
The helpers did their best not to let their disappointment show.
They tirelessly provided information, directed arriving cars to the correct parking spaces and ensured a smooth departure.
The service providers who showcased their offerings in the marquee-covered stands also persevered and remained optimistic, even when it was foreseeable that the number of visitors would be significantly lower than in other years.
British weather, British cars
The variety of vehicles was perhaps somewhat smaller than at previous BCMs, but there was still plenty to see. Even the drivers of half-open Land Rovers or completely uncovered Super Sevens had not foregone a visit to the BCM, true to the motto: there is no wrong weather, there is only the wrong clothing.
One or two Jaguar or Aston owners may have simply pulled the newer car out of the garage instead of driving to Mollis in pre- or post-war sports cars, but they didn't miss out on the visit.
Anyone strolling through the rows could discover some rarities, such as a Morris Minor Traveller, a Wolseley 1500, a Jensen C-V8, an Austin 14 or a Rover 100.
And of course there were plenty of MGs and Triumphs to admire, as they are regular guests at the event.
Guest of honor Lotus
For once, however, the number of Lotus sports cars was probably even greater than that of Triumph, Jaguar or MG. After all, Lotus, represented by the Swiss Lotus Team and the Lotus Seven Owners Switzerland, was the guest of honor and they didn't let themselves get carried away.
Although the more modern models such as the Elise, Exige and Evora predominated, there were also the odd Elan or Europa among the younger sports cars. On the central display, it was even possible to compare two Elans from different model series and those who were interested could get an introduction to the characteristics of the current Lotus sports car, the Emira.
Lotus certainly lent the 42nd BCM many splashes of color.
Looking ahead
At least there were no storms in Mollis. Nevertheless, the many helpers must have been happy when everything was cleared away and they could wrap themselves up in dry clothes again.
Now it's time to look ahead: the next British Car Meeting will take place at the airfield in Mollis on August 25, 2024, with the Rootes brands, including Humber, Hillman, Singer, Sunbeam, Karrier and Commer, hopefully in better weather.
